Shalee Wanders Travel Blog
Six Travel Hacks to Extend Your Dollar in Europe
SIX TRAVEL HACKS TO EXTEND YOUR DOLLAR IN EUROPE I’ve heard it time and time again. Travelers spending anywhere from $2,000 to upwards of $25,000 for a ten-day jaunt through Europe. The thought of traveling overseas automatically means spending thousands of dollars over the course of just a few days. Learning how to travel cheaply…
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A Guide to Camping With Cats
A Guide to Camping With Cats Updated: August 8th. 2024 “Your cats actually camp?” Yes, yes they do. But camping with cats isn’t an overnight process, and a cat isn’t going to go from catnip and couches to a tent in the woods without proper training. We’ve been camping with our cats since 2017. We’ve…
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Four Incredible North Carolina Mountain Secrets
Best Places to Visit in The North Carolina Mountains When you think of America’s Southeast, the word “adventure” may not be one of the first words to come to mind. But out of the nearly 50 states I’ve ventured to, North Carolina has to be among the most adventurous. After living in the…
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How to Go From Counting Quarters to Counting Countries
HOW TO GO FROM COUNTING QUARTERS TO COUNTING COUNTRIES If you’re reading this and live in the United States or another first-world country, you are more privileged to travel than a vast majority of the world. It doesn’t matter where you started, where you came from, or where you are. You are able to travel.…
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30 Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Michigan Right Now
30 Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Michigan Right Now From the golden shores of Saugatuck to the rocky cliffs of Lake Superior, Michigan holds some of the most pristine and untouched beauty in the country. Still not sold? Check out these photos: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. …
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How I Managed to Get Eleven People to Travel to Colombia
How I Managed to Get Eleven People to Travel to Colombia If you ask me how I managed to get eleven people to travel to Colombia, I don’t have an answer. Rewind a few months. I’m sitting in a local rock climbing gym with my friend, Max. We’re both at transition points in…
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WHY YOU NEED TO GO LIVE IN A VAN FOR SIX MONTHS I miss it. I miss it every day. I miss pulling over whenever it felt right. I miss having no deadlines or time constraints. We were never held back, because there was nothing to be held back from. I miss the…
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Seven Places to Go When You’re Lost, Broke, and Ready for Adventure
Seven Places to Go When You’re Lost, Broke, and Ready for Adventure You’re at a crossroad in your life. Maybe it’s a failed relationship, a crappy job, or just a total “over it” outlook on life. You’re ready to go somewhere. You’re not rolling in dough, but you need to escape and figure sh*t…
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How to Support Ethical Animal Tourism
How to Support Ethical Animal Tourism Oh, animals. They’re fluffy and cute, sometimes massively terrifying, and other times mildly so. We’re instinctively drawn to interact and be in their presence. I mean, who doesn’t want to cuddle an adorable Koala or help bathe a baby elephant? More often than we’d like to admit the…
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It Took Me Three Days to Fall in Love With THIS Country
IT TOOK ME THREE DAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS COUNTRY I think New Zealand is the world’s “most wanted” travel destination. Have you ever had someone tell you they DIDN’T want to visit the land of Narnia/Lord Of The Rings? I don’t think so. Are you ready to hear something heartbreaking?…
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Stories Behind My Ten Favorite Travel Photos
STORIES BEHIND MY TEN FAVORITE TRAVEL PHOTOS Pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes they’re worth much more. Travel or not, we each have photos we cherish that capture a particular moment of happiness. Or perhaps a not-so-happy moment but a story that shaped the way we think or the way we are. I…
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Why Traverse City is America’s Best Winter Town
WHY TRAVERSE CITY IS AMERICA’S BEST WINTER TOWN The United States is filled with quaint mountain towns fighting for the prestigious title of “Best Winter Destination.” Sorry Aspen, Boulder, and Park City, you’ve been beaten by a town you’ve probably never heard of. Welcome to Traverse City, Michigan. Far away from any mountain base, this…
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How I Snagged a $21 Flight to Australia
HOW I SNAGGED A $21 FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA I recently had you all guess where I snagged an international flight for $21 on Instagram. I received dozens and dozens of questions from you asking how it was possible once I revealed I was headed to Australia. Australia?! For $21? Aren’t they usually $3,000? Yes,…
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Six Overrated Tourist Attractions
SIX OVERRATED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS There are certain places which travel beyond our expectations, and then there are those which fall short. There aren’t many (or possibly any) places I can say I hate, but there are a few places that I believe get more hype than they’re worth: 1. Times Square on New…
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How Much Does it Cost to Travel The World for a Year?
How Much Does it Cost to Travel the World for a Year? January 25, 2020 One of the most frequent questions I receive is “how much does it cost to travel the world for a year?” It’s a tough question to answer. When it comes to how to afford to travel for a year, the…
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How to Travel With Your Significant Other and Not Kill Each Other
HOW TO TRAVEL WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND NOT KILL EACH OTHER I’ve stood on a lot of cliffs with my boyfriend, Josh. Together, we’ve traveled to twenty-some countries and over thirty states. To be honest, I’m surprised he hasn’t thrown me off a mountain yet because let’s face it; I can be…
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Six Things to do in Michigan Before Fall Ends
Plan a fall camping trip A little colder than normal? Yeah. Worth it to wake up under a canopy of brilliant yellow and reds? Also yes. I love waking up on a crisp morning and digging out of the tent only to hear nothing but a crisp crunch under my step. There’s something so simple…
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8 Tips for Making Road Tripping Easier
8 TIPS FOR MAKING ROAD TRIPPING EASIER Whether taking a short weekend trip to Northern Michigan or a trip across the United States, there are a few things I’ve learned about making life on the road easier, more enjoyable, and more convenient (especially when working on the go). 1) Always keep a tent…
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The Cabins of Serenity Springs: Ultra Romantic Getaway
THE CABINS OF SERENITY SPRINGS: ULTRA ROMANTIC GETAWAY What happens when you get the chance to go to an ultra-romantic, picture-perfect, cabin/glamping resort in Indiana but your boyfriend is 1500 miles away? You invite your best friend, buy multiple bottles of wine, and prepare to watch chick flicks for the entirety of the weekend.…
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Glamping in Idaho Will Make You Believe in Narnia
GLAMPING IN IDAHO WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN NARNIA Sometimes the best places come with the lowest expectations. Five years ago if you asked me to choose between a trip to California or a trip to Idaho I would have chosen California. Hands down. I mean do we ever really hear about Idaho? What…
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A Proper Guide to Road Tripping the United States
A PROPER GUIDE TO ROAD TRIPPING THE UNITED STATES The vast, wild, and untouched landscapes of the United States draw millions of adventurers to head out on a road trip every year. From the Rocky Mountains of the west, rugged coasts of Maine, and bayous of Louisiana, there is frankly too much to see…
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The Most Scenic Hikes in the United States
Most Scenic Hikes in The United States (2022 Edition) Updated: November 10, 2021 Most Scenic Hikes in The United States for 2022 I originally wrote this article in 2018 when I thought I had enough hiking experience to provide a list of the most scenic hikes in the United States. And even though I was…
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Four Reasons Why Everyone Should Visit Scandinavia
FOUR REASONS EVERYONE SHOULD VISIT SCANDINAVIA Scandinavia might have words like menneskerettighetsorganisasjonene, and the winters might be brutal, but if you’re looking for awe-inspiring landscapes, friendly people, and saunas with beer, it’s a region not to be missed. Consisting of Finland (which I did not visit), Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, the Scandinavian region is…
Read MoreNorthern Michigan and Magical Petoskey
As a child going “Up North” was *almost* as good as Christmas. I’d cry every time we came home (way after I was too old to be crying to come home). I still believe there is magic along shores. I have never met a person who was disappointed with Northern Michigan. Except I did hear…
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One Year of Travel: A Photographic Journey
ONE YEAR OF TRAVEL: A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY It’s officially been a year since I declined a full-time job after graduation to embark on a life-altering adventure. I could write a book (actually, I am writing a book…eek!) about everything that has happened in the last year alone. From the Cies Islands off the coast of…
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One of the Most Underrated European Countries: Poland
When we think of Europe we often think of the quaint coffee shops of Paris, pubs of Dublin, and gelato of Italy. Don’t get me wrong, Italy’s gelato=one of my closest moments to reaching the clouds of heaven, but it’s nothing I’d consider a “secret” of Europe. Although I love France, Spain, and Switzerland,…
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Five Must-Camp Places in Michigan This Summer
Five Must-Camp Places in Michigan This Summer Updated: January 25, 2020 Summer months in The Mitten are considered sacred. We patiently wait from November to April for the weather to break, the lakes to become swimmable, and the camping nights comfortable. Each year we each make a list of places to visit, but somehow at the…
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Eight Other Travel Blogs to Inspire Your Wanderlust
EIGHT OTHER BLOGS TO INSPIRE YOUR WANDERLUST When I begin looking for my next destination, I don’t often turn to guidebooks or the Travel Channel. Instead, I gain most of my wanderlust from reading other blogs. Bloggers tend to be the best way to learn what you need to know about a destination, not just…
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The Epic Five: Road Trip Utah’s National Parks
The Epic Five: Road Trip Utah National Parks Guide 2021 Updated: June 23, 2021 Utah National Parks: Sunrise in Arches National Park Everything to Know About the Five Utah National Parks Utah is the state that holds the third most national parks, standing just behind California (nine) and Alaska (eight). Although often overlooked by…
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Seven Things That Suck About Long Term Travel
SEVEN THINGS THAT SUCK ABOUT LONG TERM TRAVEL I dreamt for years about traveling long term. Waking up every day in a completely new environment, without the slightest clue to where I was going next or how I was going to get there. In many ways, long term travel is a dream. But there…
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An Inside Look at the Van Life: Q&A
AN INSIDE LOOK AT VANLIFE: Q&A Living in a van isn’t the most usual lifestyle. And with an unusual life comes many questions. Few people will ever understand what living in a van for months on end entails. The good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It’s not the easiest or most comfortable…
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Bucket List: The Glass Beach of Northern California
BUCKET LIST: THE GLASS BEACH OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA There are few places that stand out in such a way it almost seems fictional. For example, a beach made entirely of sea glass. In the quaint (and extremely adorable) Northern California town of Fort Bragg sits a series of coves with not much sand, but quite…
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The Best Places to Visit in the United States: 2017
THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN THE UNITED STATES I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but somehow I’ve ticked off 42 states on the United States map. You know what that means, right? I’ve got 6 1/2 years to hit the last eight to complete 50 states before I turn 30. Challenge accepted. In…
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Please Don’t Ruin This:
Below is a selection of photographs showing fragile environments affected by our decisions as a country and world.
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A Road Trip up the Pacific Coast Highway
A Road Trip Up The Pacific Coast Highway Oh, California, I have such a love-hate relationship with you. A magical coastline, (mostly) beautiful weather, mountains, redwoods, orcas, and oceans. There aren’t many places in the world where Christmas Day includes spotting whales off the coast, or a lazy Sunday means camping under the stars…
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A Lake Michigan Sunset
A sunset in Greece over the Aegean Sea was beautiful. A sunset in the mountains of Norway was stunning. A beach sunset in Hawaii was breathtaking. Yet a Lake Michigan sunset remains the most magical of them all. People who finds themselves lost, hurt, or broken; often travel to the shores of Lake Michigan for healing. They…
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